If you’re considering a local currency program that allows member businesses to accept gift certificates as a means of payment, you’re about to bring a very worthwhile program into your community. Many small merchants don’t have the time to manage a gift certificate program so having a chamber or shop Read more…
May 4-8 is National Small Business Week and it’s the perfect time to pay tribute to the strength small businesses bring our local (and national) economy. The Small Business Administration (SBA) defines small business as any business that employs less than 500 people. If you think about your community, that’s a Read more…
One of the keys to a successful shop local campaign is encouraging shoppers to branch out and try something new. Once they visit, they’re more likely to return if the store makes an impression. While the Internet is a valuable property for most businesses, shop local still relies mainly on Read more…
Shop local movements have become very trendy but how do you put one together for your community? The same way you eat an elephant (as the old saying goes), bite by bite. Obtain Buy-In The first thing you need to do is rally your local merchants. If you have a quaint Read more…
It’s “easy” to lure shoppers to a quaint section of Main Street to do their shopping at the fun boutiques, ice cream parlors selling mouth-watering fudge, and doggie dress-up shops but for organizations pushing shop local it’s important not to forget your other local businesses, the ones that are not Read more…
Local currency programs and gift certificates make wonderful employee recognition gifts but the opportunities extend past large companies with big budgets. Schools prosper too from giving the gift of local. Reward our Educators Whether it’s a personal gift from a thankful family to a favorite teacher or a local best Read more…
Small businesses have a lot of benefits over larger companies. They’re more agile and able to change quickly, more in touch with what their customers want, and offer a more direct line from customer service to management but what they don’t have often is resources. They’re strapped for time because Read more…
Spring has sprung and over the next several weeks your social calendar is probably bursting with Mother’s Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, graduations, weddings, etc. As the weather warms, the invitations heat up. You want to find the perfect, thoughtful, unique gift for each of these occasions but how do you Read more…
If you’re running a shop local campaign you want to do more than just offer a list of participating shops. You want to capture the uniqueness of each merchant and communicate it to potential buyers. To do this most effectively, you’ll need social media. Get the Social Word Out You don’t Read more…
With Earth Day fast approaching, you’ll hear a lot of talk about recycling being good for our environment and sustainability. Shopping local is a form of recycling our hard earned dollars to benefit the local economic environment. Studies of the “local multiplier effect” or “local premium” shows that for every dollar Read more…
